Grand Rapids, MI – With the WHAC tournament looming, the AQ Saints softball team stands at a crossroads. They need to pull everything together—or risk their earliest postseason exit in over a decade. A Wednesday split with UM-Dearborn was a decent reset, but Thursday's sweep of Rochester Christian was exactly the spark this team needed heading into a critical weekend.

Game 1: Aquinas 8, Rochester Christian 0
Aquinas combined dominant pitching with clutch hitting for an 8-0 shutout of Rochester Christian Thursday afternoon at Kelloggsville Middle School. The Saints scored in three different innings and took advantage of several defensive miscues to notch their 17th win of the season.

Senior pitcher Ada Bradford was in complete control, tossing a six-inning, three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and just one walk. She faced only 22 batters, retiring Rochester Christian without a run and improving her record to 6-5 on the year.

The Saints opened the scoring in the third inning. Alea Fisher drew a walk and eventually scored on a Jaden Delchambre groundout. Katie Carlson followed with the first of her two doubles, driving in Patrina Marsh to make it 2-0.

Aquinas broke things open in the fifth, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring four runs. Marsh knocked an RBI single, then came around on another Delchambre groundout. Carlson scored after a Rochester error, and Jaden Benschoter capped the inning with a double to right that plated Carson Hendrickson, who had reached on the same defensive miscue.

Carlson struck again in the sixth, delivering a two-run double to left that brought home Marsh and Kenzie Jordan to seal the win.

Carlson led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Marsh added a pair of hits, three runs, and an RBI. Delchambre drove in two, while Benschoter chipped in with a double and an RBI.

The Saints were also sharp in the field, committing no errors and holding Rochester Christian to just three hits—all of which came before the fifth inning.

Inside the Numbers (Game 1)
• Katie Carlson: 3-4, 2 2Bs, 1 R, 3 RBIs
• Patrina Marsh: 2-4, 3 R, 1 RBI
• Jaden Benschoter: 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• Ada Bradford: CG Shutout – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 7 K (Win)

Game 2: Aquinas 6, Rochester Christian 1
A slow start gave way to a strong finish as the Saints pulled away for a 6-1 win in Game 2, powered by clutch hits and another complete-game gem—this time from freshman Raeann Drummond.

Rochester Christian grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI single, but Drummond (6-2) quickly slammed the door. She allowed just four hits the rest of the way, striking out seven in the complete-game win.

Aquinas responded in the fourth when Meagan Postma crushed her first home run of the season to dead center to tie it at 1-1. The Saints took the lead in the fifth when Kenzie Jordan laced a single to left, scoring Carlson—who reached base twice and swiped a bag.

The sixth was all Aquinas. Abby Nieswender, pinch-hitting, launched a two-run homer to center that scored Postma. Then Carson Hendrickson—who had a standout 3-for-4 day with two doubles and two RBIs—drove in two more with a liner down the left field line to stretch the lead to 6-1.

Marsh, Delchambre, and Karigann Cuthbert each added hits as AQ tallied 11 as a team. The Saints also executed well in small-ball situations, with sacrifice bunts from Delchambre and Fisher keeping the pressure on the Warrior defense.

The sweep pushes Aquinas to 18-16 overall and 5-7 in WHAC play.

Inside the Numbers (Game 2)
• Meagan Postma: 2-2, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Raeann Drummond: CG – 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 7 K (Win)
• Carson Hendrickson: 3-4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs
• Katie Carlson: 0-2, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 SB
• Abby Nieswender: Pinch-hit 2-run homer

Coach's Comment
Head Coach Brad Koch was pleased with the day's results, saying:
"Good all-around team effort today, led by our two freshman pitchers who gave up only six hits and one run on the day."

Up Next
Aquinas takes Friday off before a jam-packed weekend of softball. On Saturday, the Saints face Trinity Christian in the annual Christy's Cause games at West Catholic, with the West Michigan Whitecaps PA announcer emceeing the event. Sunday's doubleheader against UNOH will be held at Cornerstone starting at noon, with Director of Athletic Communications Joey Sutherlin providing play-by-play on the AQ YouTube Network.

Stay updated with recaps, stats, and all AQ sports coverage at aqsaints.com.